The Automaton faction presents a daunting challenge with its use of trooper enemies, often referred to as ‘guns with legs.’ These enemies represent a primary force in the automaton’s arsenal, characterized by their simplistic design philosophy of integrating heavy weaponry onto mobile platforms. The concept essentially merges the idea of conscious beings with lethal armaments, resulting in entities that are both a presence on the battlefield and a formidable weapon. The trooper enemies can be categorized into three distinct types based on their armament: the Trooper, equipped with machine guns; the Raider, sporting rocket launchers; and the Marauder, armed with cannons.
These automaton infantry units are the embodiment of the faction’s belief in using expendable cannon fodder, each strapped with different types of heavy weaponry, to overwhelm or outgun their opponents. Unlike Super Earth’s approach which emphasizes versatility and adaptability, the automatons’ strategy leans heavily towards firepower and redundancy. This distinction not only highlights the automaton faction’s methodology but also sets the stage for how opposing forces, such as the Helldivers Corporation, need to adapt their strategies to counter this unrelenting wave of mechanical adversaries.
Types of Trooper Enemies
Trooper
The Trooper variant serves as the base infantry within the automaton ranks. These units are primarily equipped with machine guns, making them highly effective at sustained firefights. The design of Troopers revolves around providing suppressive fire and maintaining a constant offensive pressure on their enemies. Their reliance on machine guns categorizes them as versatile opponents capable of engaging targets at medium to close range.
Raider
Raiders represent a step up in the automaton infantry’s offensive capabilities, being equipped with rocket launchers. The introduction of rocket launchers significantly enhances their threat level, granting them the ability to deal massive damage over a wide area. Raiders are particularly dangerous due to their long-range accuracy and the instantaneous lethal potential of their rockets. They are designed to eliminate highly valued targets and create chaos within enemy ranks with their explosive ordnance.
Marauder
The Marauder variant is the epitome of heavy firepower within the automaton infantry, armed with cannons that can unleash a devastating barrage. Marauders specialize in breaking through enemy defenses and causing widespread destruction. Their cannons allow them to engage multiple targets or heavily fortified positions with relative ease, making them invaluable during assaults on entrenched positions. Their presence on the battlefield signifies the automaton faction’s commitment to overwhelming firepower and destructive capability.
Tactics
Troopers, Raiders, and Marauders share common vulnerabilities that savvy opponents can exploit. Despite their differences in armament, all three variants are susceptible to grenades and headshots. This uniform weakness provides an opportunity for the Helldivers and others to devise effective countermeasures. Utilizing grenades can quickly neutralize groups of trooper enemies, while precision aiming for headshots can take down individual units with efficiency. These tactics leverage the armor weaknesses shared by the automaton infantry, offering a strategic advantage to those facing these adversaries.
Raiders pose a unique challenge with their rocket launchers’ long-range and high lethality. The accuracy and instantaneous kill potential of these weapons make Raiders a priority target in any engagement. Counter strategies involve maintaining high situational awareness to identify and neutralize Raider units before they can unleash their rockets. Additionally, keeping the squad dispersed can minimize the risk of multiple casualties from a single rocket attack, underscoring the importance of tactical positioning and awareness when up against the automaton faction’s trooper enemies.
